I went to San Antonio for the Latin Flavors, but I stayed for the Tamales and baked fish…
I just got back yesterday from attending Latin Flavors, American Kitchens conference at the Culinary of America‘s new Texas campus in San Antonio’s historic Pearl Brewery complex. It was an invitation only symposium and I felt privileged to be the lone delegate from the campus dining segment. The objective of this first of-its-kind conference was to highlight Latin American cuisines, their connections to regional cuisines, and the role of Latin flavors in the future of the American menu development. My goal was a bit different, as I want to be the first in the nation to launch Mexican and Peruvian concepts, at UMass; in the university setting, not just as a special event but as a day-to-day concept. In accordance, I knew I needed a better understanding and appreciation of traditional Latin Flavors, which could further enrich the UMass dining experience. We had a glimpse of the Peruvian cuisine last summer during the Tastes of the World Conference. It was a four-hour long training from a Peruvian born chef, and I still remember how good the purple corn pudding was! As you know, Latin America is still a very diverse area that contains various cuisines. For this CIA conference, special attention was placed on Peru and Mexico.
Although I am an avid “Cowboys” fan, I have rarely been to Texas, let alone San Antonio. I arrived at the hotel around noon and was starving. I asked the front desk and locals for an authentic Mexican Restaurant nearby. They all pointed me to Casa Rio right on the riverwalk. The restaurant had a great location; my table was two feet from the water’s edge and had a great view of the gondolas, people and water. I ordered the Casa Rio Deluxe Dinner, their number one seller with a Cheese Enchilada, Tamale, Crispy Beef Taco, Chili Con Carne, Guacamole Salad, Chili Con Queso, Mexican Rice, and Refried Beans for $7.95. The free chips and salsa starter were delicious, and an incredible way to start the meal. The dinner plate was a generous size and the food was decent and authentic comparable to any Tex-Mex Restaurants. The highlight of the menu was the price. This place could easily charge twice as much for any menu item, but the quality and price have made this location a favorite for both visitors and locals. And after leaving full, I couldn’t complain, because I knew more Latin Food would be on its way at the conference.
The three-day event included some of the country’s leading experts on Latin cuisines, including Rick Bayless, Mark Miller, and Maricel Prescilla . Additionally, noted guest chefs from Mexico and Peru were present and conducted culinary demonstrations. I liked them all and they all shared the passion about their culture and the food. There seemed to be tamales (A traditional steam-cooked corn dough (masa) with or without a filling wrapped in a corn husk) everywhere; not to be confused with our Tamales burrito concept at UMass. An authentic tamale is like the traditional Asian sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves. They are a favorite dish in Mexico that can sometimes take several hours to prepare. I like them as they are a great street food and easy to eat.
I was most impressed with the Peruvian cuisine. I think it is considered to be one of the most diverse in the world and is on par with French, Chinese and Indian cuisine. In January 2004, The Economist said that “Peru can lay claim to one of the world’s dozen or so great cuisines”. Peruvian cuisine combines the flavors of four continents. It incorporates pre-Incas and Incas heritage, to Spanish, African, Cantonese, Japanese and finally Italian, French and British. To top it off with more great flavor, there are already over 2000 varieties of sweet potatoes, 2,000 species of fish and 650 native fruit alone in Peru.
We had quite a treat on the second night of the conference. A taste of Lima was prepared by four guest chefs from Peru. Everything was delicious, fresh and served in small portions. I loved the Chifa Squid and Rice noodle salad and the Cilantro Causa (potato) with Crabmeat. It was a night to remember with great food and newly made friendships.
There was one dish that I liked the best which was Prescado Al Sillau (whole fish baked in soy sauce and sesame oil) by chef Sato of Lima. It was presented and tasted during a morning session. The snapper was fresh and tasted amazingly good. It was flaky, moist and very favorable. I went back three times and had my fill.
The only thing that I still have yet to get used to is ceviche, lime-marinated raw seafood. It can be quite tangy and acid tasting. The texture doesn’t appeal to me, but it does to some.
My thanks goes out to the folks of the CIA and especially to Greg Drescher, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives, who had a vision to host this all important conference to highlight the Latin cuisine and its world flavors. I am now much more appreciative of Latin Flavors and can rest assure UMass it will have some on menu in the near future.
Gracias,
Ken Toong
Director
Contact Ken at ktoong@mail.aux.umass.edu